With great power comes… greater opportunity. The Government of Saskatchewan recently released a new report titled Strengthening Saskatchewan’s Grid: Transmission to Power Communities and Growth. The report highlights SaskPower’s planned investments in the transmission system and supplements the Saskatchewan First Energy Security Strategy and Supply Plan, which was released last fall.
“Transmission is the backbone of Saskatchewan’s power system and a key part of our energy security strategy,” Meadow Lake MLA and minister responsible for SaskPower told Northern Pride. “Our plan – The Strengthening Saskatchewan’s Grid: Transmission to Power Communities and Growth – will expand transmission to the north, strengthen the grid across the province and increase interconnections with our neighbours to the east, south and west. This plan builds on the Saskatchewan First Energy Security Strategy and Supply Plan released in October 2025. Expanding transmission capacity both within Saskatchewan and with our neighbours will support local industry, increase reliability and increase opportunities to export power for revenue.” Transmission lines move high-voltage electricity quickly across long distances and are critical to ensure power is available for communities and businesses when it is needed.
A stronger transmission system enables large-scale industrial development, particularly in the province’s far north, where new mining opportunities depend on reliable access to power. SaskPower’s long-term transmission investments are focused on three priorities: reinforcing the existing grid to support reliability, safety and load growth across the province; developing new transmission in the far north, which includes connecting the northern and southern power systems for the first time to support energy security and new industrial development; and expanding interconnections with neighbouring provinces and U.S. markets to improve resilience and create more opportunity for power imports and exports.
“Communities in the northwest know just how important reliable and affordable power is for both personal and business use,” Harrison said. “Across North America, power grids will need to double in capacity by 2050, and Saskatchewan is no exception to that. Our government is committed to making the investments needed to ensure Saskatchewan people have reliable and affordable power now and into the future. Our priorities are to develop infrastructure in northern Saskatchewan, reinforce the existing grid and expand interconnections. This plan lays the groundwork for those priorities.” This was echoed by SaskPower president and CEO Rupen Pandya. “As demand for power grows, the transmission system must expand to keep pace,” Pandya said. “Our investments and major projects will continue to focus on securing reliable power to keep Saskatchewan and its economy strong and growing.”
Harrison, meanwhile, said such investments will continue to support economic growth, including in Meadow Lake where the provincial government in the process of making a final decision on a potential new power station. “They will also enable new development in the north, strengthen reliability and position Saskatchewan to be an exporting powerhouse,” he said. “Our government has committed to a plan that will connect the northern grid, export power, and continue to have affordable reliable power each and every day, for the good people of this great province.” The province has also laid out its detailed long-term plan for our power future in the Saskatchewan First Energy Security Strategy and Supply Plan. The strategy lays out the province’s plan to transition to nuclear power generation fuelled with Saskatchewan uranium, by life extending our existing coal fired thermal power plants fuelled with Saskatchewan coal.